BILL ANALYSIS
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 596|
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THIRD READING
Bill No: SB 596
Author: Alpert (D), et al
Amended: 4/5/99
Vote: 21
SENATE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERV. COMMITTEE : 5-0, 4/14/99
AYES: Escutia, Figueroa, Hughes, Mountjoy, Solis
NOT VOTING: Haynes, Morrow, Polanco, Vasconcellos
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : 9-3, 5/27/99
AYES: Johnston, Alpert, Bowen, Burton, Escutia, Karnette,
McPherson, Perata, Vasconcellos
NOES: Kelley, Leslie, Mountjoy
NOT VOTING: Johnson
SUBJECT : Volunteer Mentor Partnership Act
SOURCE : Athletes and Entertainers for Kids
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Fresno, Kings, and
Madera Counties
California Mentor Foundation
Los Angeles Mentor Coalition
DIGEST : This bill enacts the California Volunteer Mentor
Partnership Act and designates the State Department of
Alcohol and Drug Programs as the lead agency in providing
support, coordinating efforts and services among the
private sector, nonprofit organizations, and any other
state agencies, and promoting quality assurance standards
for mentoring programs.
CONTINUED
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ANALYSIS : This bill:
1.Requires the Prevention Partnership subcommittee,
administered by the Governor's Policy Council on Drug and
Alcohol Abuse, to provide counsel to the California
Mentor Initiative and ensure coordination of public
sector efforts for quality mentoring.
2.Requires the Prevention Partnership subcommittee to
include at least one representative each from Friday
Night Live, from a community-based one-to-one mentor
program, from an academic mentor program, and from the
California Mentor Foundation.
3.Requires the Governor's Policy Council on Drug and
Alcohol Abuse to report to the Legislature by February 1,
2000 on the feasibility of consolidating the grant
applications and processes used by state agencies funding
mentor programs.
4.Requires the State Department of Alcohol and Drug
Programs, through direct implementation or through
contracts with private sector and nonprofit organizations
or in cooperation with other agencies to:
A. Promote adoption of quality assurance standards by
mentor programs.
B. Provide technical assistance, a clearinghouse and
library service.
C. Prepare and update a directory of mentor programs
and provide referrals for the public.
D. Coordinate mentor recruitment.
E. Develop reporting forms and requirements for
mentor programs.
F. Promote adherence to the California Mentor
Initiative Quality Assurance Standards.
5.Requires the Governor's Policy Council on Drug and
Alcohol Abuse to report annually on the progress of this
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Volunteer Mentor Partnership Act and on the progress in
achieving private sector involvement.
6.Requires the Governor's Policy Council to promote and
update quality standards and to direct public support for
mentor programs.
According to the Senate Health and Human Services Committee
analysis:
"The author asserts that this bill is a crucial first step
in recognizing mentoring as a positive alternative in
assisting young people to be successful. In contrast to
drug treatment programs and juvenile detention centers,
mentoring is a prevention strategy. The author asserts
that it is a cost-effective method, relying primarily on
the efforts of volunteers, designed to reduce at-risk
behavior in youth. The author hopes to address the
following four major risk factors among youth: academic
failure, substance abuse, involvement in the criminal
justice system, and teen pregnancy.
"The concept of mentoring originated as early as 1904, when
the Big Brothers program was created to provide one-to-one
mentoring relationships between adult volunteers and
children at risk. The corresponding Big Sisters program
began a year later, pairing concerned women with young
girls. The Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA) is
the oldest mentoring organization in the country and
currently services over 100,000 children and youth in more
than 500 agencies throughout the U.S. BBBSA is just one of
many mentoring programs available to youth that are
sprouting up every day, such as the recently established
America's Promise- The Alliance for Youth, led by General
Colin Powell.
"Mentoring program services may include providing
afterschool homework help, drug and sex education, conflict
resolution training, or general companionship, e.g.
attending sports events or visiting museums. The merits of
mentoring are well-known, and many attribute the decline in
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teen pregnancy and increase in literacy in recent years to
such programs. Research has shown that mentoring can
effect a significant impact on youth. One study conducted
by Public/Private Ventures, a national research
organization that studies child development and social
service issues, in 1992-93 with some 959 boys and girls,
ages 10-16, showed that mentoring has a definite positive
effect on children's and adolescents' behavior. Half of
the participants were matched with a Big Brother or Sister,
while the other half were assigned to a waiting list. The
assigned children met with their Big Sibling about three
times a month for at least a year. Researchers found that
18 months later, those who had a mentor were 46% less
likely to begin using drugs, 27% less likely to begin using
alcohol, 53% less likely to skip school, and 37% less
likely to skip a class. They were also more confident of
their performance in school, less likely to hit someone,
and got along better with their families."
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
According to the Senate Appropriations Committee analysis:
Fiscal Impact (in thousands)
Major Provisions 1998-99 1999-2000
2000-01 Fund
Mentor programs 15,100*
15,100 General &
Others
*Reflects amount requested in the Governor's Budget.
The state is currently spending approximately $15 million
in various departments to make mentors available to a
variety of client groups. The effort was begun under the
administration through executive action and budget
approvals. The funds support:
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| DEPARTMENT | AMOUNT | PROGRAM |
| | | |
|-----------------------+-------------+----------------------|
|Alcohol and Drug |$1.1 million |County grants |
|Programs | | |
|-----------------------+-------------+----------------------|
|OCJP |$0.8 million |County grants |
|-----------------------+-------------+----------------------|
|Community Services & | $2 million |CBO grants |
|Development | | |
|-----------------------+-------------+----------------------|
|Calif. Youth Authority |$1.2 million |Mentors for parolees |
| | |and youth on |
| | |probation |
|-----------------------+-------------+----------------------|
|Child Development and | $10 million |Local school |
|Education | |districts |
| | | |
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SUPPORT : (Verified 5/27/99)
Athletes and Entertainers for Kids (co-source)
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Fresno, Kings and Madera
Counties (co-source)
California Mentor Foundation (co-source)
Los Angeles Mentor Coalition (co-source)
American Federation of State, County and Municipal
Employees
Anderson Consulting
California Child, Youth, and Family Coalition
California Police Activities League
County Alcohol & Drug Program Administrators of California
Covenant House, California
Fresno, City and County Convention Visitors Bureau
(committee analysis)
Mentoring Coalition of San Diego and Imperial Counties
San Francisco Mentoring Coalition
Tam Greene, M.S.W. of San Francisco Mentoring Coalition
SportsBridge
Walden Family Services
YMCA of Orange County
various individuals
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CP:cm 5/28/99 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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